Omaha daily bee., 1887-05-30
A Few Facts.

paper.
The BEE is notorlously paper given over
10 running local affairs.
The BEE has been remar kably silent on the
gas monopoly question.
The editor of the BEE has been seen not
less than four times in the last week in close
with the president of the gas
Hear. hear!-Joln A. NcShdnc's Sheet
Hear, oh hear, a few cold facts. The
BEE is now and always has been opposed
to monopoly in every shape and form
where honest competition is practicable.
But it will never knowingly countenance
or connivo blackmaling schemes even
under the pretense of breaking down an
odious monopoly.
When the bogus gas company, incorpo-
rated by certain parties last year, APP
pcaled to the council to take away the
franchise Of the existing gas company
under pretenso that it would give Omaha
relief from cxorbitant gas bills the BEE
turned monopolist and opposed the bare
faced scheme. When Mayor Boyd vetoed
the first ordinance granting franchise
to the new gas company the BEE COM
mented on the veto rs follows
Mayor Boyd's veto of the ordinance grant
ing the right of way through our streets and
alleys to corporation which proposes to es-
tablsh gas works in Omaha, IN competition
with the existing company, causes much un-
favorable comment. We nave not read the
mayors veto in full nor have we been able
to procure a copy of the vetoed ordinance
On general principles it would be unfair to
grant promscuous rights-of-way to parties
who propose to build gas works in Omaha,
because such grant in the hands of unprin-
cipled adventures or schemers might be used
as a means to levy blackmail on the existing
gas company. If, however, the ordinance
contains provisions that would prevent the
misuse of the grant, coupled with reasonable
guarantees that the new company Will erect
works and supply cheaper gas to the public,
there is no valid excuse for a veto.
While we doubt whether Omaha is large
enough to support two gas compan eS it Is
manlfestly the interest of our city to secure
competition or sucn concessions from the
gas company in the matter of rates as will
make competition Improbable.
The old council sustained Mayor
Boyd's veto and new ordinance was IN.
troduced in the present council. The
BEE promptly expressed its views in the
following editorial:
a material reduction in the price Of gas is
always welcomed by any community. That
Omaha wants cheaper gas goes without say
ing. The reduction of 50 cents per LOO,
feet in the price of her gas supply which
Is promised by the new gas company is a
powerful incentive for granting Il franchise
We would, however, venture some sugges
tions to the council which should be EN-
bodied in the gas ordinances:
/. The franchise should be limited t
twenty-five or thirty years, and subject to
repeal in case of violations of contract by
the gas company The ordinance, as intro
duced is practically perpetual
2 No right of way should be granted
through any paved thoroughfare except a
alley crossings. All gas mains should bC
laid in the alleys and all connections with
buildings should be made from the mains
laid in the alleys. Omaha has expended sew
! eral million dollars for paving and we cOulC
better afford to submit to high priced ga
than allow our paved streets to be torn uj
| and ruined by gas trenches. To dig bitches
| on Farnam, Douglas or Harney streets every
twenty-five or thirty-three feet woult
simply ruin the whole pavement. The new
| gas company should be required to lay it
mains in the:alleys, and the old compan
| should hereafter be restricted to the alley
| where new mains are to be laid. Provision
| should also be made to require gas companie
| to pay the cost of repairing pavements il
| streets and alleys damaged by diggin!
| trenches for their mains and aterals.
And now for few colder facts. w
| plead guilty to the charge that the edito
of the BEE has held several conference
with Mr.. frank Murphy, president of tn
gas monopoly, wit hin the past ten day:
One of these conferences was to ascel
tain whether the gas monopoly woul
volunteer to reduce its price of gas, so a
to give Omaha cheaper gas without tear
ing up its paved streets.
| MIR. Murphy expressed willingness
reduce the price of gas within yer
short period, and asserted that the pre-
| jectors of the new gas company coul,
not furnish gas for .25 per / 900 feet, br
merely wanted franchise to sell out.
Unmlndful of this assurance the edito
of the BEE has personally urged mem
bers of the council to reduce the price q
gas and cut down by changing one-hal
of the city street lamps from an all nigh
service to moonlight schedule. Bl
the coolest of cold facts is the disclosur
made by certain councilman that pro
motors of the new gas company had Sc
apart liberal supply of gas stock TO
members of the city council and th
editors who are clamoring for cheap ca
and crying Down with monopoly -
Further particulars will be made put
lie in due time and Il calcium light wi
be thrown on the venal editors who al
prowling around the Omaha saloor
after midnight setting up jobs III